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Chapter Text

With his favourite niece scooped up into his arms, Buck waved off his sister. “Alright, Miss Jee,” he prodded at a chocolate-stained cheek, “let’s go burn off some of this sugar rush!” A giggle and a poke back showed the engagement that apparently wasn’t given to Chim when trying to get a coat on an excited toddler this morning, hence the chocolate as a bribe. Maddie was hesitant to go out to the cold park, only just getting over whatever illness Jee or Chim brought home that week, but Jee was restless. As only the best uncle would, Buck offered to take her instead whilst Chimney was covering a shift. Wrapped up in coats, gloves, and hats, they had the park mostly to themselves.

A second after her red wellies hit the ground, Jee was off leaving Buck to jog after her, racing to get his hand between her head and the heavy swing that was already in motion in the wind. “I want to go so high,” Jee said with one knee on the seat, head about to tip over to the other side until Buck intervened again.

“Well I’ll try my best to send you all the way up to the clouds before it rains.”

After around three minutes of ‘again!’ and ‘higher!’ Jee was more interested in a stick by the slide to hit against some metal piping under its frame, leaving Buck sitting on the swing himself. He’d never not smile spending time with Jee, but sometimes, when he was watching her play and explore without needing to check he was watching, never doubting that he was still there, a cold hand tightened around some vital part of himself inside. There will always be years of missing should-have-beens and right now there was a missing person on his left, and another who should be playing with Jee right now. Without noticing how, Buck’s phone was out and open, the name ‘Eddie <3’ at the top of the screen. Sneaking a quick photo of Jee, who had somehow found an even bigger stick, he sent a quick text. He immediately received a reply as if Eddie was waiting for a text.

—————

*Buck*

i’m not sure if i’m babysitting a toddler or a puppy right now

*Eddie <3*

She’s definitely a Buckley
Isn’t it supposed to storm later?
How long will you be there??

*Buck*

just a rain storm
don’t worry we’re going home after we get lunch

*Eddie <3*

OK
Be careful, call me when you’re back
?

*Buck*

of course!! see u later :D

*Eddie <3*

:)

—————

Buck pocketed his phone just as he heard a loud giggle coming from Jee and an “ewwww!”

“How did this happen?” He took her hat from her outstretched hand and wiggled it in front of her, as if it was a fish.

“The wind blew it away,” to emphasise her point Jee took her hat back, held it in the air, and let go. Buck watched it flying for a couple metres till it hit the park fence with a wet smack, only to slip through the gap as another gust blew past, carrying it into the street and down a storm drain. “Oh no,” Jee looked up at Buck with a scrunched nose and Howard Han grin, “bye bye hat!” Bye bye hat, indeed.

“I think it’s getting a bit windy, maybe it’s time to go, Jee. Lunch time?”

On the walk to the café, the winds picked up again and Jee was back in Buck’s arms after almost falling backwards in the incoming storm. The weather forecast had severely underestimated the strength of the storm, Buck decided. A bin tipped over ahead of them, its contents flying across the street.

“Only a couple more blocks till we’re inside nice and warm, shall we tuck you inside my jacket for now?”

“Penguin!” Buck chuckled and took that as a yes before a small paper bag slapped him in the face. He covered Jee up just in time when the sky decided to drop.

Heavy rain battered Buck like stones, each one sending jolts of pain bone deep. Sharp, icy waves pushed back against him, and if he let himself lose focus he knew that a ladder would appear beneath his feet, that a boy named Chris would be in his arms. But it was Jee, and beneath a coat and a jacket against his chest she was warm and still giggly, so he could only laugh back, running in a storm through the streets of LA.

Then the universe hit a switch and the day grew impossibly darker.

Café in sight at the end of the street, several people scuttling inside away from the weather, streetlights emitting a glow and painting the pavement yellow, the air forced its way along the road. It took a utility pole with it. Sparks scattered and Buck dived out of the way when wires struck out at him. Whether it was the electricity or a bolt of lighting, Buck was unsure, but a momentary white backdrop filled the sky. Against it was a tornado. The street was silent except from howling and the window of the café showed several customers open-mouthed, staring outside. Another flash; it was closer. Then people started to scream. Jee wriggled up to peer out, stopped when Buck pressed a hand to the back of her head, keeping her held between his shoulder and neck. “Just a storm Jee, we’ll head into a shop and wait it out. I’ll let you pick another chocolate bar if you promise to keep it our secret.”

The power lines on the ground were still sparking but the tornado wasn’t going to stop for that, so Buck couldn’t either. There was a shop closer than the café with an older woman by the door, her hands waving at Buck and Jee. If it came to it he’d throw her to the lady, a couple scraped and bruises better than electrocution or facing the storm. However his boots were rubber-soled and with Jee perhaps the universe was on his side: he reckoned the jump was doable. The sky lit up once more and they didn’t have much time. A wooden chair crashed against the wall beside them and the lines hissed on the floor. Air buzzed against his skin.

Buck held Jee tighter and ran, leaped, his boots touched down. The woman by the shop door was using her body to wedge the door open, one arm still outstretched. He had made it across and was metres away from the door.

“Almost there, Jee.” It was unlikely that she heard. Wind screeched around them. Bricks were being torn apart and debris shattered like gunfire. Maybe four seconds away from safety, lightning flooded the street again. In that instant, Buck noticed two things:

1. Somewhere ahead of him, a window shattered.

2. A chunk off a roof was soaring towards them.

Half-turned to put his body between his niece and the debris, Buck barely had time to anticipate the explosion of pain in the right side of his head. Luckily, or not, by the time the left side hit the shop wall and the slab of roof slammed down back onto his right, he was already out so the pain was quickly over.

It was warm. That was the first thing Buck noticed. The second was that nothing hurt. He opened his eyes and soft sunlight welcomed itself in. A gathering of birds were chirping somewhere close by- which was nice and all until, thirdly, his arms were empty. His jacket and Jee were missing, and why the hell was he wearing a blue gingham dress. Actually, where was he? Gone was the LA street and in its place was a country style living room. Considering his past luck, Buck could hardly put it past himself to have been caught during a tornado, lost his only niece, and been put in a dress by some weird kidnapping maniac.

“Jee! Jee where are you?” Buck scrambled to his feet from the wooden floor, slipping slightly on his socked feet. Why was he wearing frilly socks too? What kind of psycho was he in for, and where was his niece? “Jee, please, are you here?”

A rapid pattering of little feet sounded from above him, then raced down the stairs. “Jee!” Buck scooped up the girl and spun her round as she hopped off the last step. Then he stopped and set her down. “Why are you in a dog onesie?”

“Woof!”

“Okay. Okay.” Buck nodded as Jee ran around his feet, hand swishing the skirt of his dress as she went. “Okay. We should go outside.” He hoisted her back up onto his hip and pressed down on the handle of the front door. When he met no resistance, he pushed it open.

Bright bursts of flowers surrounded them. Blue was the fresh sky with only wisps of clouds drifting across. Several tiny houses were dotted here and there matching… the crowd of tiny people chanting hurrah? Wearing overalls of every colour and pattern were a whole village worth dancing around over a cheerful yellow brick pavement spiralling amongst lush grass. Finally, they wore themselves out, standing in a huddle and gazing up at the pair in the doorway, as if waiting for some sort of speech.

“Jee-Yun,” Buck was wide-eyed, “I’ve a feeling we aren’t in Los Angeles anymore.”

Back in LA, when the rain came to a stop and the winds dropped what it had taken, Chimney was non-stop out on the streets. From first-aid to black tags, the tornado had taken the otherwise q-word day to a full-blown disaster. Honestly, it could have been worse, was what people were saying. It had only made contact with the ground for two minutes, and while it had hopped across a couple blocks, most people were okay. Chim would disagree. Buck wasn’t answering his phone to anyone. No text, no call. Nothing. Granted, everyone was probably calling someone right now, and signal was definitely down in the area. But the uncertainty of it all just made Chim’s stomach turn that extra 90 degrees. He was currently in the passenger seat of the ambulance taking calls with B-shift. They were sent to an elderly shopkeeper who had her shoulder dislocated trying to hold a door shut. She’d also reported a man struck by debris, still beneath it, trying to protect a little girl who she had with her now.

Chim knew where his mind was trying to lead him and firmly held it down. It could be anyone in LA with a young girl. HE needed to focus, he had a job to do.

Dropping down from the ambulance with a splash, bag over shoulder, he raced over to the lady in the shop doorway. “Ma’am, I’m a paramedic, can I check out that shoulder?” He crouched down beside her, popping his gum as he carefully took down the sleeve of her cardigan.

“I can wait a moment, my shoulder does this a bit, dear,” her eyebrows furrowed as she peered out of the door, “I really think you ought to check out that man under there.”

Beneath a slanted slab of roofing, through a gap between it and the shop wall, a pair of legs could just about be seen under tiles and dust. Chim nodded and ran over, followed closely by another firefighter. He shook a visible ankle, “Sir, sir, can you hear me?”

With no response, the two firefighters began to clear rubble off of the patient. When clear enough, both positioned themselves either end of the slab. Before he could count down from three, Chim noticed the girl peering round the shop’s doorframe. Jee. He didn’t bother to count, just threw the slab to the side and got to work on clearing some of the blood from Buck’s face.

“Maddie, he’s alive. Jee is with me.” Chim was pacing up and down the hospital waiting room, automatic doors opening and closing at each pass. “She’s perfectly fine, but Buck sustained a head injury. He isn’t conscious, Maddie. No, No, he’s alive. Let’s focus on that. No, listen. Maddie, it’s looking okay. No brain bleeds, spine intact. As far as we know, he’s okay. The 118 are all on their way now, and B shift sent me home early. Karen is taking Jee back with her when she drops Hen off. Maddie. Buck is alive.”

Finished calling his wife, Chim pockets his phone with a sigh. It will be laughable when he’s awake, but at that moment Chim just wanted to cry. Some time must have passed because suddenly Karen was taking a sleeping Jee from his arms, and Bobby was sitting him down. Hen was on his other shoulder, Ravi opposite him with an empty seat at his side. Eddie. “Who’s going to tell Eddie?”

“I will. I’ll be right back.” Bobby stood, slowly and with too much effort than he’d usually need. After this was all just another bad dream, Chim fully expects Bobby to try and wrap his boy in bubble wrap and lock him up like Rapunzel in the safest room he can find. For now though, all they can do is wait, hope and pray. Maybe drink some shitty cafeteria coffee too, Chim thinks as his head lands on Hen’s shoulder and his eyes begin to shut. He briefly wakes up to a hand in his, then is back asleep.

Hen was the only one there to receive the first update on Buck: Chim dead to the world, Ravi and Maddie getting coffee for them all- more likely Ravi trying to give Maddie a moment to stop and breathe- and Bobby breaking the news to Eddie. It wasn’t looking bad, but it wasn’t looking great. There was nothing immediately concerning, and the nurse said that all they had to focus on at the time was being there for Buck and waiting for him to wake up. Hen knew what that meant. There was nothing immediately concerning telling what else could be injured until Buck woke up. The brain is complicated, and Buck’s took a heavy hit. It’s taken a few in past years. So until Buck was awake, there’s no telling his precise condition. But as Chim initially said, not wanting to accidentally fake someone’s death again, ‘he is alive.’

Eddie is in the kitchen making pasta when his phone rings. It wasn’t unusual to get calls from Bobby around that time of day, wanting to catch up and ensure Eddie was okay. Recently, Eddie had been okay. Sure, okay wasn’t great but it was okay. Chris was at his table and kept his toothbrush in the bathroom, the end of his school term would be finishing soon and, sure, okay, Eddie was mildly terrified that the answer would be no but Buck was confident, so he was too. Soon Eddie would ask Chris if he was ready to come back to LA, his parents getting on the last of both their nerves and phone calls from friends back home not being enough anymore. He would get Bobby’s opinion while he was calling, let the captain know that he missed them all and might be back sooner than expected.

“Hello, how’s it going in LA then, rain not getting you down?”

“Eddie, sit down, listen to me before you panic.”

“What do you mean? What’s happened? Is he okay?” Eddie felt his way to a dining room seat, Chris looking up from his switch. Slowly, he put it down, scrutinising his dad’s face for any hint of what was wrong.

“Dad, Is it Buck?” Chris watched the shaky rise and heavy fall of Eddie’s breaths, intentionally slowed and forced under control. A sheet of tears was building over his eyes and the phone at his ear was subtly trembling. Quietly, still half listening to Bobby, Eddie told Chris to go pack some things, that everything would be alright but, they should go and visit Buck.

They were singing. Apparently the house Buck woke up in fell from the sky and landed on a witch. An evil one, thankfully, because apparently there’s a good one and, unfortunately, an eviler one. The villagers are singing and sticking out from under the house is a pair of striped stockings and some red, glittery kitten heels. At least Jee seems to enjoy the musical murder accusation, clapping along and for some reason still barking occasionally. Despite the absolutely unreal situation he is in, at least he has an idea of what is going on. He might have been lost at the blue dress, dog onesie, and tiny villagers, but as soon as he saw the ruby slippers he knew- and if that want confirmation enough, when a giant bubble started descending from the sky- where he was. He was in the Wizard of Oz.

Pink, glossy pearls drifted down into the centre of the yellow-brick spiral, and they kept coming until the giant one made its way down to meet them. With a soft pop and a shimmer, it vanished. In its place remained a woman in a shining rose gown with a towering crown and delicate wand. This would be Glinda, he presumed. Except this Glinda was brunette and her name was Maddie.

“Welcome to Oz, and thank you. My name is Maddie the good. Just call me Maddie”

“Hi… Maddie,” and if Maddie was the good witch then, “who was that?” He pointed to the pair of feet. Maddie waved her wand and a bubble appeared between the two of them. Buck leaned in, his hand still on Jee- Toto’s?- shoulder. Beyond the glossy surface a hazy image began to solidify.

“The Wicked Witch of the East. He has been terrorising us for years alongside his brother, the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s awful, the villagers call me to summon aid but my magic can only do so much against the witches, like how theirs can only do so much to me in return. The only man who could truly help is the Wizard, but I have been unable to contact him for many years now.”

Buck felt as if he could zone out for certain pieces of information, considering how familiar the story was to him. To be honest, he was slightly mesmerised by the illusion in the bubble. Tommy Kinard wearing stripy socks and red heels on a broomstick was definitely a sight. Hen and Eddie were angels for stopping him from calling back. Mistakes were made, and they didn’t need to continue to be made there.

“And if you follow the yellow brick road, it will lead you straight to the Emerald City! But, sweetheart, I can’t let you travel without shoes! Try these on for size.” Chiming bells sound in the area as the ruby slippers fade from Tommy’s feet and form back onto Buck’s. Surprisingly, he figures that they’re quite comfortable and takes a few twirls in them, stopping when he notices a soft-eyed smile from Maddie.

“Will I be able to get home afterwards?” Buck asks, hoping the answer is the same as in the story.

“I pinkie swear.” the good witch replies, and he links his with hers, already feeling like he could be halfway there. “Now go, and always follow the yellow brick road.”

They set off, Buck and Jee hand in hand. Jee turns to watch the pretty witch go; Maddie waving back as she floats away.

Chapter Text

Jee was skipping happily alongside Buck. Whilst the ruby slippers were comfortable, the heel still had him feeling a little unsteady on the brick path. The village and its flowers were a smudge of colour behind them now as their surroundings started to open up. Vast fields of daisy-speckled grass slotted in like patchwork to the fields of wheat and corn. The clouds above were thicker- pillows rather than whisps- but the sun was still pleasantly shining.

Completing the story of The Wizard of Oz seemed simple enough, surely the scarecrow would be found next and then the rest. He vaguely remembered certain plot points and the minor details would fill themselves in as he went. At least Jee seemed pretty unconcerned by their predicament. Honestly, Buck couldn’t find it in himself to be that stressed either. Dr Copeland might have a few words on the matter, but maybe this would be a bit of a distraction from his real life? Oz was pretty, it had people he recognised, he knew the endings, and Tommy was flattened beneath a house (that was mean, he didn’t mean that.) Perhaps he should make the most of saving a world with Jee-Yun… Jee-Toto? After meeting Maddie he wasn’t too sure if this was his Jee. Real Jee didn’t bark as much as this one, and also didn’t seem to recognise Maddie beyond a wave and smile. Maddie must have recognised him though, right? Buck felt a moment of home when their pinkies locked, and she was just so Maddie. The same eyes, same voice, the same curled hair and the same mannerisms.

A snap of air beside him sent Jee scampering behind Buck’s legs, dragging him from almost-distant memories. The crow cawed and seemed to be staring at him. Jee back in arms, he took a couple paces forwards, then back, and forwards again. The crow hopped along beside him, beady eyes never losing their mark. Buck had a sudden idea that he should laugh, maybe take a picture to send to someone, but the crow was unnerving and the tree h it perched on wouldn’t go on forever, so he sped ahead.

The grass began to slip away leaving only the wheat fields, lined by wooden picket fences. The crow followed briefly then gave up. Turning and flapping its wings higher and higher till it was gone at the sight of a straw-stuffed scarecrow.

“Hey!” Called Buck, and the scarecrow turned its head as far as it could, the jaunty tune it was humming turning into a gasp and grin. It’s hand waved as best as it could from where it was bound to its pole.

“Yes, hay!” It shouted back with a laugh. As Buck got closer its face sparked a sense of familiarity.

“No, way! You’re the scarecrow!”

“No, I’m Hen!” Buck’s jog became a run and he immediately went to hug Hen, who tried to pat his back but was still restricted by her wooden frame. “You wouldn’t mind cutting me down, would you? I can’t figure it out on my own.”

Once freed, Hen returned a tight squeeze, poking Jee and Buck with straw.

“And you are?” She bowed her head to Jee, who answered with a ‘woof’ as per usual now. “And you?”

“Buck. I’m Buck.” So maybe Maddie didn’t recognise him, since Hen clearly didn’t either. What stumped Buck though was why Hen of all people was the scarecrow? Maddie as Glinda makes sense, and Jee as Toto is plausible to an extent, but Hen as the one who wants a brain? Impossible. More impossible than him waking up in Oz after… after what exactly? Lightning again, or maybe it’s all a dream?

“Lovely to meet you, Buck. What brings you to my fields?”

“I’m off to see the Wizard”

“The Wizard?”

He may as well play along. “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

“Would you mind if I came?” She asked, scratching at the straw sticking up from under her bowler hat, “You see, I’ve heard he can perform magic like no other, and I’ve meaning to ask him for something.” She paused and tapped Buck on the head, right between the eyes. He blinked and stumbled back slightly. “It gets a bit lonely out here, just me and those spying, thieving crows. And potentially I’d be able to make something more of myself, something more human anyway, if I only had a brain!”

Strangely, Buck could relate. He thought Scarecrow Hen would make a fine friend either way, and was surely as smart as her human counterpart too, but that tinge of tiredness to her voice. The little sighing loneliness that crept into every question, half-expecting instant rejection. Putting herself down first before anyone could do it for her. “Let’s go get you your brain!”

Arm in arm, they went, sticking to the yellow brick road. A single crow lingered behind, eying them as they went, shooed off by the scarecrow who hurried the trio along. The fields turned from wheat to grass to sparse trees and flowers- similar to the village landscape but less pruned. Jee was back to walking, hand held tight by Bucks as she kept reaching around to chase the odd squirrel or bird that lingered too close to the edge of the road.

Although, if what Hen said was true, he wouldn’t mind setting Jee after one of those crows:

“You didn’t hear it from me, well you did, but those crows. They’re a nasty bunch. Spies of the Wicked Witch of the West. They stalk the roads and keep tabs on anyone who might be useful or in his way.” Hen almost looked proud, but caved in on herself in the blink of an eye, “I’m not sure though, maybe I just don’t like them because they’re creepy, and they don’t like me. I could be wrong, I’m a scarecrow after all… head of straw!” She shook her head and laughed as strands of straw went flying around them.

Thankfully, no more crows could be seen around these parts, but the seed was planted. Every shadow or cranny could be watching, and Buck guiltily knew he’d feel less tense alone; where he wasn’t able to image a murder of the spies carrying off Jee-Yun or tearing into Hen’s stuffing.

Jee-Yun spoke for the first time in Oz, finally making other sounds than a woof. Specifically, she said “Look at that one!”

Birds must’ve been on everyone’s brains because the two adults looked up to meet Jee’s line of sight. Buck expected a beak, some feathers, potentially a fun little outfit. Instead he saw green.

The white walls emptied the room of all feeling, leaving only the regular tone that affirmed Buck’s still beating heart. The 118 spent a lot of time in hospitals, an unfair amount considering how many other firefighters lived in LA, if Hen thought about it. Right now she was focused on Buck, though, who would agree with her as soon as he was awake. Three minutes had felt like an eternity in there and Buck’s unnatural stillness served to emphasise the silence more than it already was. It was stifling, too sterile for her firehouse dalmatian. It would gain more life when Chim returned with Maddie, one last watch over Buck before going home to be with Jee. Gain more life, wasn’t that an awful thought. The implications were there but Hen knew better than to let herself fall into that trap. Buck would pull through. Wake up and ask to see his niece, cheer everyone up and be their light as if it wasn’t him in the storm.

“I hope you’re having sweet dreams, Buckaroo,” Hen pressed a quick kiss over his lax brow, “but not too sweet, we need you up and with us as soon as possible.”

It was the Wicked Witch of the West himself above them. Circling on his broom like a bird of prey- birds really were on his brain- ready to swoop in for the kill any second. He clutched Jee back up to his chest and pulled Hen just behind him.

“Hen, what do we do?” he hissed, the witch was still fairly distant but Buck wasn’t about to see if he could get any closer.

“I mean we could…” Hen paused,” no, nevermind that would never work. If I only had a brain!” She knocked her head back with a huff and noticed the witch’s sudden descent. “Down!” She dragged Buck and Jee to the ground with her as the witch made a pass, cackle reverberating as he went. Buck caught a glimpse of the green, weathered face. White hairs like wire and a stiff moustache the same, a manic gleam in his eyes and a clear penchant for cruelty than kindness. They had to run, he wasn’t sure of the Wicked Witch’s powers but if he was as described then the outcome wouldn’t be good. As the witch made to drop in again Buck dragged the two off the yellow road.

They didn’t make it far enough.

“Well, well, well, what are you pouting for?” The witch sneered, hovering on his broom beside them, sizing them up like a soldier’s line up. “Pretty boy, I’m talking to you.” The man advanced and invaded Buck’s space.

“What do you want.”

“Those shoes you’re wearing, the ones that belonged to my brother. The brother you killed. Give them to me,” he leaned in, breath stale, “or the dog gets it.”

Before Buck could take his chances (ideally he would throw a punch and hope Jee runs away with Hen) Jee decided she had plans of her own. Scampering out of Buck’s hold she barked and snarled as well as a toddler could, shouting “no!” and “evil witch!” as she went. The bewilderment caused provided a long enough pause for Hen to take a swipe and smack the witch’s broom, sending it spinning. Before the witch could regain his bearings, Buck lead the group further off the road, deeper into the woods, his ruby slippers click clacking softly against the worn, muddied path they now followed. Dull, cracked bricks vaguely leading their way through the weaving branches where a broom, hopefully, couldn’t follow.